Joshua’s Farewell to the Leaders

23 After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest^(A) from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man,^{(B) 2} summoned all Israel—their elders,^(C) leaders, judges and officials^(D)—and said to them: “I am very old.^{(E) 3} You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you.^{(F) 4} Remember how I have allotted^(G) as an inheritance^(H) for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea^(I) in the west. ⁵ The Lord your God himself will push them out^(J) for your sake. He will drive them out^(K) before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.^(L)

⁶ “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law^(M) of Moses, without turning aside^(N) to the right or to the left.^{(O) 7} Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear^(P) by them. You must not serve them or bow down^(Q) to them. ⁸ But you are to hold fast to the Lord^(R) your God, as you have until now.

⁹ “The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations;^(S) to this day no one has been able to withstand you.^{(T) 10} One of you routs a thousand,^(U) because the Lord your God fights for you,^(V) just as he promised. ¹¹ So be very careful^(W) to love the Lord^(X) your God.

The Father Revealed in the Son^(A)

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father,^(B) Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.^{(C) 26} Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²⁷ “All things have been committed to me^(D) by my Father.^(E) No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.^(F)

²⁸ “Come to me,^(G) all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.^{(H) 29} Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,^(I) for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.^{(J) 30} For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”^(K)

A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God

4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.^{(A) 2} For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.^{[a](B) 3} Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. ⁴ For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”^{[c](D) 5} And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”^(E)

⁶ Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience,^{(F) 7} God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest,^(H) God would not have spoken^(I) later about another day. ⁹ There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; ¹⁰ for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,^[e](J) just as God did from his.^{(K) 11} Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.^(L)